The 2025-26 UEFA Champions League league phase has reached its midway point, and predictions powered by Opta’s supercomputer suggest that Europe’s traditional heavyweights, particularly those from the Premier League, are set to dominate the remaining fixtures and secure automatic qualification for the knockout rounds.
According to a report on FotMob, the supercomputer, having “crunched the numbers and made calculated predictions,” projects Arsenal to finish at the summit of the standings.
Arsenal is expected to amass 20.25 points, securing the top spot ahead of the reigning German champions, Bayern Munich (19.29 expected points). Manchester City, despite a somewhat slower start, are predicted to secure third place with 18.02 expected points.
The forecasts underscore the strength of English clubs, with four Premier League teams—Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain—currently expected to finish among the top eight automatic qualifiers.
Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain, despite a recent setback, are still projected to make the knockout stage, alongside traditional powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Crucially, the supercomputer also rates Arsenal as the “overwhelming favorite” to lift the trophy at the end of the season.
Their current probability of winning the Champions League stands at 23.59%, a significant margin over the team with the second-best odds, Bayern Munich, who trail by nearly 10 percentage points.
While some teams that began with perfect records, such as Real Madrid and PSG, saw their streaks broken in the latest round of games, the supercomputer still expects the biggest clubs to find their form and dominate the standings.
Teams predicted to finish just outside the top eight and face the dreaded knockout round play-offs include Newcastle, Chelsea, and Tottenham.
The analysis sets the stage for a dramatic second half of the league phase as clubs battle to avoid the play-off route.